KNOXVILLE -- Ken Donahue, the Corryton, Tenn., native who played at Tennessee (1947-50) and was an assistant coach for the Vols for Bowden Wyatt (1956-60) and Johnny Majors (1985-88), died at 9:40 a.m. Wednesday (March 21) after collapsing at Bally's Total Fitness during a workout. He was 76 (born Feb. 28, 1925).
"Ken Donahue was one of the most enthusiastic, hard-working coaches we've ever had around here,"Special Assistant to the Athletics Director Gus Manning said. "He played that same way. Football was his life. He was a real student of the game and, even after he retired, he was a regular at local high school contests. Bear Bryant said he was the best assistant coach he ever had."Â
Well known for his single-minded dedication to football, Donahue was named working coach of the year in the SEC at Alabama (1975) as well as at Tennessee (1985).
Described by Majors as "one of a kind,"Donahue, an assistant coach for 38 years in stints at Memphis State, Tennessee, Alabama and Tennessee again, was known as one of the most legendary assistant coaches in college football history.
The association with Majors dated to the early 1960s when both served on the defensive staff at Mississippi State. The 1963 Bulldog team, on which Donahue and Majors were assistants to Paul Davis, played in the Liberty Bowl as the first Bulldog team to participate in a bowl game in more than 20 years.
Donahue returned to Knoxville in 1985 and his defense unit, which improved game-by-game and highlighted a 38-20 win over Auburn and Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, was a major factor in the Vols' drive to the SEC title, Sugar Bowl win over Miami and eventual No. 4 national ranking. He was awarded a game ball after the Vols' 16-14 win over Alabama that October.
In the minds of many Tennessee fans, Donahue will be best remembered for his defensive scheme against Miami in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. In a 35-7 Vol win, Tennessee defenders came at Hurricane quarterback Vinny Testaverde from nearly every angle and caused six turnovers, seven quarterback sacks and five tackles for lost yardage. In fact, one media representative voted for Donahue as the game's Most Valuable Player.
At Tennessee, he served as defensive coordinator, line coach and special assistant to the head coach.
He was line coach at Memphis State from 1951-55, a Tennessee assistant until 1960 and coached at Mississippi State for three years before joining Bryant's staff at Alabama in 1964. With Donahue serving as defensive coordinator at the Capstone, Alabama led the SEC in fewest yards allowed seven times, in rushing nine times and in pass defense three times. It was a time during which Alabama won 11 SEC titles and three national championships.
One of the most noteworthy accolades bestowed on the hard-working Donahue came in 1985 when The Football News singled him out as doing the best work nationwide by an assistant coach.
He prepped at Central High School in Knoxville and made his mark at Tennessee as an offensive tackle. He capped his career in the Vol's 20-14 victory over Texas in the 1951 Cotton Bowl. After leaving Tennessee in October 1988, he had a brief stint as a consultant with the Philadelphia Eagles.
One story, repeated often by Bryant, had the Bear and a friend driving by the Alabama football offices late one night. When they spotted a light on in the office, the friend asked Bryant what was up.
"That's just that darn Donahue,"Bryant reportedly said, "trying to make me a legend."Â
He is survived by his wife, Jeannine Bolton Donahue, sons, Hunter Donahue and wife, Wendy, Benjamin Donahue and wife, Diane, Patrick Donahue and wife, Carol, and Christopher Donahue, seven grandchildren, Sheri, Shannon, Jessica, Leah, Heath, Josh and Wesley Donahue, brother, Maynard Donahue, and wife, Maureen, of Valley Head, Ala., sister, Kathleen Burton, and husband, G. A. Burton. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Legendary Assistant Coach Ken Donahue Dies - University of Tennessee Athletics
